started with a 9 iron as suggested and tackled the skill 1 drill. my success rate was 100% so i moved to the next step with golf balls. again, was achieving the desired result on all shots.

after 15-20 shots the rubber tee sheared off (further indication that i was nailing it), so i went to the skill 2 drill. again, no problem.

i had not planned on moving past skill 1 so i only had my 9 iron, but i decided to try skill 3 anyway. i hit some slight draws, maybe 1/3rd of all my shots, however the ball was not starting right of the target and then drawing but starting at the target and then drawing. i also hit a few big push slices, a few pulls, and many shots landing short of where they should have been. in other words, i was hitting the ball the way i usually do!

i did have one swing that resulted in a shot that went almost the distance of my 7 iron. it felt effortless, and as though the club was being pulled out of my hands. THAT is how i want to hit them all the time. unfortunately i don't know how i produced it, or how to reproduce it.

i'm not sure what to conclude here, but my plan is to return to the range soon and properly work on skill 3.

started with a 9 iron as suggested and tackled the skill 1 drill. my success rate was 100% so i moved to the next step with golf balls. again, was achieving the desired result on all shots.

after 15-20 shots the rubber tee sheared off (further indication that i was nailing it), so i went to the skill 2 drill. again, no problem.

i had not planned on moving past skill 1 so i only had my 9 iron, but i decided to try skill 3 anyway. i hit some slight draws, maybe 1/3rd of all my shots, however the ball was not starting right of the target and then drawing but starting at the target and then drawing. i also hit a few big push slices, a few pulls, and many shots landing short of where they should have been. in other words, i was hitting the ball the way i usually do!

i did have one swing that resulted in a shot that went almost the distance of my 7 iron. it felt effortless, and as though the club was being pulled out of my hands. THAT is how i want to hit them all the time. unfortunately i don't know how i produced it, or how to reproduce it.

i'm not sure what to conclude here, but my plan is to return to the range soon and properly work on skill 3.

Comment

skill 3 is a puzzle to me. perhaps it just happens with thinking about trying to do it, and repetition at the range?

anyway, i believe that my iron striking has improved quite a bit. for the 15 or so years that i have played golf, my 100 yard club has always been my PW. now my PW is my 120 to 125 yard club. my SW used to be my 70 to 75 yard club, but it is now my 90 yard club.

i am pulling my irons a bit but can't blame that on 3skills necessarily as that kind of thing comes and goes from time to time.

Comment

The object of SK2 is to hit the ball at the widest point of the arc and push it out slightly right. SK3 teaches you to move the clubface from an open position just before impact to a closed position just after. This puts a small amount of counter clockwise spin on the ball that will draw the ball back into the centre with power.

Comment

yes i understand the theory of SK3 but how to do it is the challenge. the book seems to say that by having a mental image and hitting practice shots the skill develops. if there is another learning tip i'm all ears!

i have to admit that i have not practiced as above as when i have time to get out i want to play instead of going to the range.

i think this book should be required reading for beginners. very important concepts, and great illustrations.

yes i understand the theory of SK3 but how to do it is the challenge. the book seems to say that by having a mental image and hitting practice shots the skill develops. if there is another learning tip i'm all ears!

i have to admit that i have not practiced as above as when i have time to get out i want to play instead of going to the range.

i think this book should be required reading for beginners. very important concepts, and great illustrations.

The book does explain that to improve the skills takes lots of practice.

Hi Brian, I am up to the 3rd skill and I am a little confused about the reviews calling it revolutionary.He is basically saying it does not matter how you get to the point of impact it is there that everything takes place.That might be so but it sure leaves it open for a beginner to get into a whole heap of trouble.It also seems to me that the experienced golfer will be doing what he is instructing anyway.I do think the mental approach he teaches is very worthwhile, Overall at this stage it is like most things we learn, it is a matter of taking what you find most usefull out of it and put it in your toolbox along side other usefull tips and methods we pick up as we progress in our game.
Regards Peter.

Comment

the author seems to say that if one works only on these skills the rest of the swing can develop on its own and as long as impact is good nothing else matters. he may be right, as i sure see some some goofy swings that yield good results.

i'm curious how an absolute beginner would do following this approach with no focus on posture, positions, turn, etc.

If you look through the many, many threads in the 3skills area you will find the system briefly explained many times.

The idea of 3 Sks is that you should focus on three basic concepts of the swing through the impact area only:

1) Hit down at the ball at the correct angle for each club.

2) Strike the ball at the widest part of the swing arc.

3) Push the ball slightly out right then using the rotation of the clubface from open to closed through impact, draw it back to centre.

This is a very simple explanation and the system has a great deal more in the way it encourages the use of imagery, uses drills and encourages you to let go of swing thoughts other than the 3 skills.

Regarding better players, I am a fairly good player and found the system to be a breath of fresh air, other single digit handicappers here have been helped greatly by the book.

There are no guarantees that any system in golf will help everyone, my give on it is that the book costs around the same price as a box of reasonable golf balls and we will all find something in the book to help improve our game.

Comment

brian has given an excellent answer already. i will add that if you consider yourself at all a "student of the game" meaning you enjoy reading about instructional methods and you appreciate good illustrations of principles that in and of itself may justify the cost of the book.

if you start hitting your irons better, like i have, consider it a bonus!